I Bet You're Hard To Get Over
by EloraCooper4
Summary: Jake and Neytiri suggest that Norm record memories of someone that he just can't shake. Norm/Trudy. Updated Ch 9
1. If You're Gone

June 23, 2155

Norm turned on the recorder. There were dark circles under his eyes, and the stubble on his chin, that was usually tamed, was turning into a full beard now. He glanced into the lens, revealing that his eyes were practically red. "Um. Hi. I know we don't have to use any of these anymore. It's not like Grace is gonna come down and yell at me for not recording my daily life with the Na'vi." Norm looked down with a slightly pained look on his face.

"But Jake and Neytiri suggested that I do another one of these. To you know," Norm started to explain, his mouth open and his hands in motion, although he just ended up shrugging. "Feel better." Soon his fingers were in his mouth, biting his nails. A nervous habit. His com records had always been regulated before this. All facts and findings. Professional and terse. Just what the big wigs wanted at the end of the day, although some excitement may have slipped through every so often. This was different.

Norm rubbed his forehead for a moment. "I came here for a clear mission. To explore Pandora from the inside out. Live in a culture as one of its people. This was…a dream for me. Everything was so beautiful, so perfect. Even with the few side effects and the uncomfortableness that is first meeting Grace." A slight smile graced his face for just a moment. She was another person that he missed. "It was all worth it. Even watching Jake kinda take over. It wasn't that I was jealous…okay maybe I was a little bit. But I was glad for him. Glad to teach him. Despite being a Marine and all he's a nice guy. Might not be the smartest…but he had me for that." For a moment Norm paused, remembering those sessions in the bunker. Those were, maybe, the best days of his life. That was before all hell broke loose.

"So I had a mission. You can review the tapes and you can see that aplenty. Mission. Fun. Cultures and Science, yay," Norm waved his hand in the air as if he was ready to party although his voice was still sullen. "I didn't…I don't look for that kinda thing. Well, I look. Everyone looks. But I look and do nothing beyond that. I appreciate but I don't investigate because I know, no matter who she is she's out of my league." After a moment's pause he added, "Cept maybe Allison Krupkie from back home but she…she was pretty inside...looked like a horrible pig thing, but…anyway. I saw her. And yeah, what wasn't to like? She was beautiful. That was it. She was just another one of those girls who was gorgeous and who obviously wasn't for me because she was going to end up with some hunk. Some…huge marine with biceps that could, I don't know, fold cans with flexing their arms." Norm paused to bite his nails again. Glancing down at his cuticles, he checked to look at them. "It didn't help that she was…so cool. You know she could probably fold cans flexing her bicep. But she never went around doing it. She knew she could, didn't flaunt it. Just relaxed and let everything come to her."

"I half expected her and Jake to run off together or something. Or wheel off, I guess. It would make sense. Sure, Jake was in a wheelchair, but she was that cool that she didn't care about stuff like that. All of the other Marines teased him, and well I guess technically she wasn't a Marine. Ex-Marine. Pilot. Still it would make sense. On his first day, she just went up to him and invited him in her helicopter, which for the record, you have to earn that privilege." Wistfulness passed across Norm's eyes, but it didn't last long. He sniffed quickly, rubbed his nose on his sleeve and stared out into the distance for a moment. Thinking.

"Pretty marry the pretty. It's just a fact. It's evolution. People say that we're advanced beings, which was pretty much proved wrong with all of this, but we're not. We're just slaves to Darwin. Pretty marry the pretty so their babies can marry pretty babies and so that the human race can stay beautiful. That leaves people like me…who aren't pretty. We're the moth that doesn't match the tree trunk behind us," He admitted with a snort.

"That's okay though, I'd come to accept that. That even if I did ever find a girl who wasn't repulsed by me, she'd probably be such a moth too, so why even bother to try and pursue a…a butterfly." Norm made a face as if he smelled something horrible, and shook his head quickly. "Okay enough with the metaphors. I'll just say I knew she was out of my league. I want everyone to know that. Even though no one will probably ever watch this. I knew, that she was out of my league. But I guess that she was different from all of the other girls. She…she didn't care about Darwin," Norm said slowly as if he was trying to figure it out himself. "Oddly enough, she cared about me."

Norm looked down at his fingers before glancing back up in the lens. "Trudy's gone now, but. I guess it isn't fair for her never to be recorded or talked about. Beyond glimpses of her walking in the background of our records or something. Beyond…her doing a million pull ups and me drooling in the background. I'm pretty hopeless." A small chuckle escaped his lips although he quickly pulled it back. "I guess it's right for me to talk about her. It's been a while, and everyone has moved on. Even Neytiri and her mother have finished their mourning for her father. And the tribe has moved on from all that happened too. Found a new place to live. A new life. Not me though." With that Norm's whole body seemed to fade. Even though it had been almost a full year, Norm looked older. Much older, like the rest of the world had experienced a year, and Norm experienced a decade.

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "So I'm gonna talk, and I know secretly Jake and Neytiri hope that this magically makes me feel better about the whole thing. I'm gonna try. Just for them. But…I don't think that they realize that Trudy Chacon…is hard to get over."

Note: I'd love to make this a series if anyone is interested in the progression of Norm and Trudy. In the original script the two were actually together, and I'm excited to explain their back story. At least until the DVD comes out and we find out for sure!


	2. Only Some Want to Fly

Note: Thanks for the reviews all. If you wanna read the original script it's on ainitcoolnews. Now, let's continue. The rest of the chapters won't be as stream of conscience as the first, but Norm from after the movie is still narrating. Let me know what you think!

"Try not to blow chunks in the back okay? I just got it cleaned," Were the first words that Trudy Chacon ever said in my direction. Not exactly the most romantic thing to ever say. But if there was one thing that I learned about Trudy, it was that all things came after her baby. I asked her once if she had to choose between me and the Samson who she would choose. She just stared at me declared that the question was very unfair and kissed me to shut me up. Well, it was good to know that I knew my place rather quickly with her.

We didn't really get a chance to really talk until that night. Jake was off wandering through the jungles of Pandora, ready to be eaten by Viperwolves…no one really held out any hope that his avatar would return. Grace even talked to Max about drafting a letter for his parents if the human Jake never woke up. It didn't seem fair. I was in the lab when she found me again, staring into the lens of the recorder, commenting on the day's events. "I know that they say this place is dangerous. And it's not that I didn't believe them I just…I didn't think that it would happen this soon you know?" I bit at my fingernails, a nervous habit. But I stopped quickly as soon as I felt a presence behind me. I sat up straight thinking it had to be Grace, but I turned around to see Trudy.

"Hey," She said simply. "Forgot this." Without warning, she dropped the hat that I wore as an avatar over my head. The only problem is that as an avatar, my head was much larger than my human one. It covered my entire face up to my nose. I couldn't see her, but I could hear the gravely quality of her voice mix with the chime of her laughter. "Suits you." Her fingertips pushed back the hat so I could meet her eyes. They were a deep brown, and they were smiling at me.

"Oh yeah, thanks. Um, it helps keep the sun out of my eyes," I commented pulling the hat away from my face and placing it on the counter next to me. Glancing back at the recorder, I waved and turned it off. Her eyes were on the small machine when I looked up.

"You know you shouldn't start planning a funeral for the guy yet," She replied her arms crossing under her breasts. "Shit, I know Pandora is dangerous. A Thanator bit off one of my blades once…and kept walking! But that don't mean that Sully's gonna be shipped out in a long cardboard box."

I just stared at her before raising a brow. "If your steel blade didn't survive a Thanator, how will a squishy avatar who has no idea what he's doing?"

Trudy shrugged. It amazed me, there was no sense of stress or seriousness in her body. It was as if we were talking about our favorite types of fruit, not the life of a human being. "He's a marine. Which helps. He's been through a lot of shit, which helps some more. Eh," She shrugged picking up a pen like device from the counter. "I'm sure he'll figure something out. Seems like the type."

Quickly, I rolled over in my chair to her and took away the pen like device that actually was a laser to cut slides and glass materials. Or it could take off a finger. Maybe Grace was right about Marines and weapons… "I wish I had your confidence. You didn't know his brother. He…he didn't even make it here. He didn't survive Earth."

Trudy gave up the pen and just scratched at her forehead. "Yeah well, sometimes I think that Pandora might be safer than back home. At least you know everything wants to kill you for the most part. There you gotta play a guessing game." Cynical. Not that I could blame her. Earth wasn't exactly the thriving place that it once was. All that was left was the ruins of majesty, and corruption and pollution ruled.

"Guess so," I commented. After a pause, I realized that Trudy was still here talking to me when she could be doing more important things. Like anything but talking to a random geek from the other side.

Maybe she had the same thought herself, she shifted her stance and looked at the door. "You're still worrying aren't you?"

"Well, yes," I nodded still confused about her presence. "He is a friend, well I barely know him but if I knew him…I'm sure we'd be friends. I'm friends with his brother. Was friends. I'm allowed to worry. Especially when he's out there. A Marine. Stupid with a gun."

Trudy laughed again. "Sounds like Grace got to you. We're not all that bad." Then Trudy's brown eyes narrowed, as if she was trying to figure something else about me. A second later, she nodded to herself. "C'mon," She nudged me with her elbow and started walking towards the door. I simply watched her at first. Did she want me to follow her? Where were we going? I had work to do that did not involve…whatever she was planning. I must have looked pretty damn pathetic as I turned my head and raised my eyebrows. Trudy's wide lips curled into a deep smile. "You look like my effing German Shepherd from Earth. I said c'mon. C'mon." She patted her legs playfully before turning around and leaving, knowing all too well that I was going to follow her.

I glanced around the lab. No one was here. They were finally catching some of that sleep that we had heard so much about, but hadn't experienced since landing on Pandora. What was there to lose? I cleared my throat, made sure that my pants weren't wrinkled, and I quickly shuffled trying to catch up with Trudy.

She was still walking but looked over her shoulder to make sure I was there. "Good boy," She teased smacking her gum in her mouth. "We're gonna give you something to do. No use sitting there worrying." I finally caught up to her when she turned around to face me and started to walk backwards. "Keep busy. Don't think about it. Cause anyway, I'm sure Sully is fine, that is until Grace gets a hold of him. Maybe ruining an avatar body… Then he might be dead." She patted me on the shoulder before turning around and walking forward again.

I tried to smile, really I did, but I was a little…startled. Was Trudy caring? Or was she gonna have me clean her Samson or something while she watched? I dropped my eyes down, and I must say that was the first time I really sized Trudy up. Like I said, I knew she was out of my league, but a man can look. And believe me, it was a nice view. Her hair was dark and full. Her body had the perfect amount of curves to flats. Hell, she even had some added muscle tone. Yeah, she could probably beat me up with her pinky…

"Spellman. Spellman!" She called out, only the second time did I snap out of enjoying the view of her very appealing ass.

"Hm? Sorry. Thinking," I offered putting my hands in my pockets. "Um. Trudy. You aren't gonna put me to work are you?" I should have known. My fears were confirmed. Here we were in the copter bunker, right next to her baby. "I would rather worry than lather it up."

Trudy rolled her eyes, "I'm an ex-Marine, kid, not a terror. No, I thought that you might want some lessons though."

"Wh-lessons?" I asked truly taken aback.

She shrugged patting her Samson as if it was a pet. "Yeah. I mean, unless you're one of those crazy people who don't wanna fly on their own. Could never understand that. If you have the opportunity to fly through the air…who wouldn't take that chance? You know?" At first I just thought that Trudy was attached to her ship because it was hers. It was mission that she loved, or even that she simply liked having the control of flying. Now, from just those few little words I understood so much more. Trudy had always wanted to fly on her own, and since she couldn't sprout her own wings she had to find a different way to fly. And she did in the form of a steal machine. Later I would confirm this suspicion of mine, Trudy was in my arms after one of those dreams. She said that it wasn't exactly the same. Flying in her dreams and flying in reality, but she took what she could get.

"No. No I think that would be…awesome. You teaching me. But um. What would the Colonel say?" I asked a little jittery at the thought of him. Just looking at that man gave me the willies.

"Probably something about scientists and marines shouldn't mix. Like fish and birds. Trying to sound all fancy but sounding like an idiot in the end," Trudy decided, reaching into the cockpit and tossing me a helmet. "That guy needs to yank that stick out of his ass," She smirked pointing towards the ground. I put the helmet on the ground at first and looked to her. So she was an ex-Marine who wasn't exactly into the order of command. That was…odd. Even when I asked Jake about the Colonel, he seemed to believe that the man could walk on water. It didn't seem that Trudy was convinced of that.

Trudy waved her hand over to the Samson, I followed along. "First thing that you gotta do is take off the guards." She pointed at the flaps that covered some of the vent-like things. I never did learn the technical terms. "If you don't take them off we ain't getting off the ground. Just Velcro. You get the other side." With a wave in that direction, I nodded and carefully hoisted myself onto a step on the Sampson to get closer.

I tugged at the guard. I didn't even hear a slight rip from the little hooks and loops. "Um. Where exactly…" I stood on my tip toes. Being as tall as I was I should have been able to figure it out on my own. Now I know what you may be thinking, that I was trying to get her to come over by me, but I really was just clueless. I swear. Trudy came over anyway, with that amused smirk on her face.

"I can see that you're gonna be one of those trouble maker students aren't ya?" When she stepped by me, I was just about to step down, let her take over, but I didn't have time for that. She reached across my body towards the guards. In order to stay on the same small step our bodies had to touch. Chest to chest. I gulped not remembering the last time that I was this close to a woman who wasn't my sister or mother. "See? It's at the top left and the top right. I think you can manage you just need to know what you're looking for." She pointed them out to me, but I don't think I was paying attention to the Velcro. I guess I was one of those trouble maker students.

But at least I pretended to play the part. "Oh. Yeah, yeah. The um. Left and right. Top part," And then to my humiliation I kind of let out a whimper.

Trudy just smiled as she tended to. "There you go, tiger." Her eyes met mine, amused. Though she didn't pity me, and she wasn't disgusted…she was amused. And I tried to smile back, while I breathed her in, noticing that despite being an ex-Marine she smelled pretty damn good. Turned out to be orange vanilla. It was pretty, and God knows…she was pretty.

"Spellman!" Grace's voice called out. "For God's sake there you are. Jake's back. And you're never gonna believe where he was…hell I don't believe it." We saw Grace run in and out of the garage, although she seemed to do a double take at us, but decided not to comment.

Trudy dropped down from the step finally giving my body space again, though I noticed that I suddenly felt a little…lonely there on that sad step all by myself... "Told ya," She patted my arm. "Go see him. We'll continue this later, yeah?"

I carefully stepped down, while I wanted to see Jake, I felt the need to thank Trudy. For keeping my mind off of him, for…hell, talking to me. But she didn't give me the chance to, "Maybe next time we can move on from the Velcro and get your helmet on. Maybe turn it on." She winked at me, that amused look on her face again.

A quiet laughed escaped my lips. "I'll put forth my best foot forward that's for sure," I commented scratching the back of my head. "And um. Thanks for-"

Trudy waved her hand not wanting to hear it. "No worries. Go see him. And I mean it about the lessons. Everyone needs to learn how to fly. Looks like you could use it a little more than most." She left me with that comment. I'm not sure I understood her at the time. Why I would need to learn how to fly that thing earlier than others…but I think I understand now.

Post note: I looked all over trying to see if an avatar dying would kill the human and I couldn't find it anywhere. So I went with the emotion of the movie which seemed to tell me yes. So sorry if it's wrong!


	3. Tea and Sympathy

Note: Thanks so much for all of the reviews guys. This story keeps me going lately haha. Making midterms is about as fun as taking them :P Anyway, here's the next chapter.

I knew where to find her for our second lesson. It wasn't that hard to find Trudy. There were only three options. First, she was in her bunk which was surrounded by numerous Marines and pilots. Half dressed, probably smelly and grumpy. I always prayed she wasn't there, I could imagine the looks I would get by showing my pasty self in that place. The second place was the mess hall, which probably would have the same effect on me as the bunk area. Except this time those same smelly and grumpy people were armed with food. Then there was the hanger with all of the Samsons and aircrafts in a row. This was where she usually was. And I was glad to see that she was there, I was in grave need of a distraction.

"Hey…um…Trudy?" I asked not wanting to disturb her as she was currently under the Samson. Only her small feet were sticking out, probably doing something important under there.

She rolled out a second later, and glanced up at me. At first she looked a mite confused, but the confusion turned into a smile. "What's new, Spellman? I heard that Jake is Jungle King now. That's weird." Course she had to bring it up. Jake hadn't been killed that night in the jungle. Far from it. Now he was their confidant. Learning how to be one of their warrior's for God's sake. He was out there right now, probably getting himself adopted by the Omaticaya…and I bet he had no idea what that even meant.

"Yeah," I said quickly trying to change the subject. "So what about a second lesson? I'm eager to learn how to put on a helmet."

Trudy pushed herself up from the ground, and gave me a smirk. "You need a distraction, huh? Lemme guess, you're jealous of him."

I snorted quickly. "Me, jealous? Of what? It's not like…he doesn't deserve it. He's a great guy. Fun…headstrong…a slow learner…leaps before he looks…he's…I don't know how they…" I paused when I saw Trudy's smirk grow as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, I'm a little jealous. Can you blame me?"

Trudy coughed into her elbow and then shook her head turning to the Samson. "Naw. If I trained for this operation for years and they told me that I was gonna be washing dishes for the next few months, I'd be pretty pissed off myself."

"It's not that I'm pissed or…feeling left out," I started to argue, but once again, she looked at me in such a manner that suggested that I not even bother to try and explain myself through that one. "I guess I'm just- I worked so hard. And now I get to watch this guy who doesn't know what he's doing…take my dream."

Trudy closed up the Samson's electrical components that she had been working on, and turned to me. "I don't know if he's doing that. Just making your passage a little easier, yeah? Might be better for him to be the guinea pig before you walk in there. Just saying. Anyway," She patted my arm, clearing her throat. "Wanna try for the helmet?"

"Yes please. Let's not talk about…him anymore," I almost snarled.

She chuckled quietly. "We'll avoid talking about the pronoun person I promise." Leaning into the Samson, she tossed me the same helmet I took on our last lesson. Really it was a set of headphones with some equipment, but it still retained the old school name. "Now, put it on."

"You're joking. It's that simple? I thought we had some things to hook up at least." I commented rubbing down my hair before pushing the helmet on my head.

"Well, since we had such an issue with Velcro last time, I thought we'd take it slow," Trudy teased coming up towards my face to help me with the helmet. Being this close to her, I saw a few things. One, I saw bags under her eyes. I hadn't seen them there before when we were just talking, and her eyes themselves were puffy.

"Um Trudy, are you okay?" Those were the stupidest words I ever uttered. I learned my lesson quickly.

Trudy looked at me with a flash of annoyance. "I'm fine. Now, we do hook up to a few things. C'mon in." She waved me in to take a seat in the Samson. "The important thing is the com. You gotta be hooked up or you're gonna be talking to yourself when you're lost." She pulled a plug that fell from my helmet, but paused suddenly to cough into her elbow. This time, her body shook with the pressure of it. Clearing her throat, she shook her head and continued on as if nothing happened. "Here, the connection is…" Trudy couldn't even get through it before her body was shaken by coughs again.

I opened by mouth to ask if she was okay again, but her finger was up as if she figured out what I was gonna say. And that finger looked dangerous, so I decided to stay quiet.

Trudy cleared her throat one last time, closed her eyes and continued. "Take this connection, and you jack it in here." She showed me the small hole where the com connected. It did seem rather old and silly. Wires. But a Samson was one of those older models. And at the moment, once again, my mind wasn't on the lesson. Though this time it wasn't because I was admiring the closeness of Trudy's body.

"Alright. Awesome, so I can call you if I forgot to take the Velcro guards off yeah?" I asked trying to get her to smile.

And she did. She was a pretty sight, but her smile was even prettier. It moved slowly and took over her whole face. Every inch from her forehead, her eyes, to her chin…all of her face was smiling. "You wouldn't get off the ground with those things on, Spellman."

"Oh, I guess I have a lot to learn, huh? It's a good thing that Jake's gonna be with the Na'vi for a while. Lots of lessons, unless you're busy…" I offered knowing that Trudy did plenty of things…at least I'm pretty sure she did.

Trudy chuckled trying to hold back a cough. "I guess it is a…a good…" She couldn't hold it in any longer. Her body was racked with a series of coughs. I resisted the urge to reach out for her, not that I was afraid of touching her…I was afraid she was smack me if I tried. She didn't want me to acknowledge that she was…wasn't well. I wasn't a doctor, and I could tell that. Her face was pale, her eyes worn down. I made the connection that the coughs kept her up the previous night, she couldn't have slept long at all. And she wasn't gonna do a damn thing about it. Because that would mean that she admitted weakness.

"Hey, um," I started to say as soon as Trudy gained her breath again, "Why don't we go back to my place and we can drink so tea? Yeah, I can even bring this if you wanna practice," I offered pointing to the helmet.

Trudy raised her brows, seeing through me completely. "Tea?" Her voice was raspier than usual.

"Uh huh. It's only fair that I impress you with my good tea," I explained as if it made complete sense to do so.

"You wanna impress me?" Trudy questions, although that amused smile returned to her face. I was getting there. Although the victory didn't exactly make me realize her point at first.

I paused and then nodded. "Yes. With me tea skills. I make a good cup of tea. So do you wanna risk it?" I pulled off the helmet and placed it on the seat by me, and then I walked out of the Samson, holding my hand for her.

Trudy looked at my hand for a while as if she was trying to decide if my hand was clean enough or something. She wouldn't take it. She would go back to working on the Samson, and she would blow me off. Maybe she wouldn't give me another lesson at all. She wouldn't be able to stand me…but she surprised me. Trudy took my hand. "Okay, Spellman, this better be impressive as hell tea."

"Oh you have no idea," I said deadpan, smiling as I lead her back towards our bunks. I was sure that her hand would fall from mine as we walked through the corridors. There were military people out there. Scientists. What would happen if they saw us holding hands? It seemed that the answer was nothing. Trudy's delicate hand stayed in my much larger hand the whole time. It only fell from me when I had to open the door to the room I shared with Jake. I tried not to think about her hand too much. Instead I reminded myself it was probably covered with germs…maybe she was secretly getting back at me? Well, it worked for me at the moment.

I opened the door to the room, and Trudy gasped. "Whoa. You have your…you and Jake?" She shook her head. "No wonder so many grunts hate you guys. This is a nice place to sleep."

I chuckled and moved towards our tiny kitchenette, putting one some hot water. "I guess it's our one perk. As you can guess, I've had it pretty well with Jake being gone nights. But we're not here often, too much work."

"I think I would make time if my place was this nice looking," Trudy coughed into her elbow again, her shoulders shaking lightly.

I didn't say a thing, instead I watched her with a cautious and careful eye. "Why don't you try out the bed? Pretty gushy. See if you guys get better mattresses." I don't know if she sat because she was humoring me or what, but she did sit down. One more victory, Trudy was taking it easy. At least for the time being.

Trudy looked down at the mattress and shook her head. "Nope. The same. Lumpy mess."

"At least we're equal when it comes to shitty mattresses," I replied mixing Trudy's tea and adding a good amount of honey. I would fix that throat of hers even if she didn't want it. "Here you go. Prepare to be…impressed."

Trudy smiled before taking the cup. "Nice and warm," She whispered before taking a sip. It must have felt good on her throat; she kept her eyes closed for a little longer than a blink. And she breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm…I'm impressed."

I chuckled quietly making my own cup of tea, sitting down on Jake's bed which was opposite my own. "I don't like to say I told you so…"

She cleared her throat and muttered, "If the Na'vi based everything on tea making you'd be out there…shit. Sorry. No Jake talk."

It seemed to be a silly aggravation now, so I just waved my hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm just sore. I came here to be…be a part of something. I just thought it would happen sooner." I looked up and saw Trudy drink the tea quickly, maybe I'd have to make another batch.

"Is that why you left Earth? For the Na'vi?" Trudy asked.

It was a loaded question. Earth…well to say that it wasn't exactly the beautiful place it had once been was an understatement. Our neighborhood park growing up was as big as my mom's office at her job. And my mom wasn't paid well. The rest of the world was dirt and corruption.

"Sometimes I wonder…who would want to stay," I said honestly gauging her reaction. She seemed to agree taking another sip. "I mean, I miss my sister and my mom. We were close. My dad split when he realized that we didn't stay cute babies. So we only had each other. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the people of Earth are great. The individual people. But our culture of destruction, I guess, maybe, I'm running from that. The Na'vi are all…about creation and a cycle of life. I have to admit that that's…a breath of fresh air. Especially coming from Earth," I explained half expecting to see Trudy's eyes wander around the room looking disinterested, but they didn't leave me the whole time.

Trudy nodded slowly, her fingers curling around the mug. "Can't blame you. My dad was all in that culture. One of my first memories of him was seeing him beat up this guy in the back room. What a way to remember your dad right?" She asked with a hoarse and quiet laugh. Looking into her tea, she shrugged. "Could have been worse. I don't think he killed people. Just played with their money. Gambling. Guess I wanted to get away too. I wasn't smart enough to…look at other cultures. I just wanted to fly away."

"So that's why you're here?" I asked our voices were almost whispers.

Trudy shrugged again, her deep brown eyes meeting mine. "All I want in life is to fly." After a second, she added, "Pretty sad huh? One thing makes me happy."

I shook my head quickly. "No, no. I don't think that's sad at all. It's great that you're doing what you love. Being happy….are you happy?"

Trudy breathed in the vapors from the tea, I could almost see the cogs in her brain moving. Trying to decide if she was happy or not. "I guess as happy as I can be right now."

"Something could make you happier?" I asked wondering for a moment when I became Trudy's shrink.

"Getting rid of this shitty cough would be nice," Trudy finally admitted with a laugh. And I laughed along with her. Quickly our laughter faded and all that was left was quiet. Usually silences between two people was uncomfortable, even with friends I remember scrambling for things to say so there wasn't any more silence. Not with Trudy though. It was…comfortable.

Although she broke the silence. "Shit, I gotta…I gotta go. I have a drop off in an hour, and I didn't finish prepping the Samson."

It was jarring, but I moved with her as she headed towards the door. "Oh! Wait," I called out moving to the kitchenette and came back with another cup of tea. This time the mug had a top so she could move with it. "I added more honey. Hope you don't mind."

Trudy took the mug from me, her eyes slowly meeting mine. "No. No I don't mind."

"Sorry I took you from your work. I know that you were…busy before I came along," I pointed out scratching the back of my head absently.

"You're a welcome distraction Norm." Trudy reached out for the door and stepped one foot outside. Then she glanced over her shoulder, her hair falling down into her face. "Thanks…for the tea."

I smiled softly. "Anytime, Trudy." She nodded to me and was out of the room. For the next few days, Trudy came to grab a cup of my tea before moving to her daily activities. She didn't say much, just a thank you and a wave. It was always the best part of my day.


	4. Making Wings

Note: Thanks for the reviews again, they tend to make my day. This chapter bounces around a little more since it's moving around events from the plot of the movie.

It wasn't bound to last.

Grace caught wind of Jake's friendliness towards the Colonel and we were off to a bunker in the Hallelujah mountains. While I was caught off guard when I learned about Jake's new friends, and a little hurt, Grace seemed to take it in stride. I suppose she knew Quaritch well enough to know that he wouldn't let Jake become one of us. In his eyes there were two teams on this little journey. The Men. And the Geeks. And those two teams couldn't get along. It really was worse than high school, and even Trudy and I weren't out of the range of fire.

A few weeks before we left, I was in the mess hall line, Trudy at my side. We'd found each other in the hallway (okay I went to find her and make it look like it just so happened that we 'ran into each other') so I suggested we'd have lunch together. We simply got in line to get the latest slop. Quaritch was at the end of the line, and glared at the two of us as we got our carrots and peas. The funny thing was that Trudy nodded to him and kept moving. She really didn't care at all. I tried to hide behind her as we walked passed avoiding the Colonel's eyes. As we walked away he belted out, "Birds and fish don't mix, Chacon."

Then Trudy, being Trudy, turned around and looked at the Colonel. "I don't know, Colonel, they both taste fine to me," She inched her head towards her tray as if he was talking about her meal choice. I would have thought that she actually believed that this was what the Colonel was referring to, expect when she turned her head back she had the biggest grin of victory on her face.

I just blushed.

Either way, the Colonel got to Jake, and Grace needed to make sure that we had him to ourselves. So that meant leaving, and going to the Hallelujah Mountains. I'm pretty sure when Grace mentioned it I turned into some kind of sugar induced poodle. Ever since I started to learn about Pandora, I had fallen in love with those mountains. I mean, what wasn't there to love? They were beautiful mountains and they floated in mid-air!

And on top of simply going to the greatest place on Pandora…Trudy was our pilot. Life was pretty damn good at the moment.

When we entered the hanger, I waved at Trudy although I kept my hand down by my hip not knowing if she would want Jake and Grace to know that we were…what were we doing? Talking? Being friends? Something like that. But Trudy seemed uninterested in hiding whatever it was that we had. "Show them your knowledge, tiger." She tossed a helmet to me which I put on with ease. Looking for her approval, she just smirked and pointed to her baby.

"Oh! Guards. On it." I pulled down the Velcro guards and threw them in the back just as she taught me. Then I slipped into the co-pilot's seat, hooking my helmet's cords into the com system. "Do I get an A plus?"

Trudy climbed in next to me after she made sure that Jake could get in alright. "I'll have to give you an A minus. Don't wanna be too soft you know?" She snapped her gum in her mouth and winked at me.

"You're one of those, huh?" I grinned.

"We going anywhere anytime soon?" Grace grumped from the back of the Samson. Probably the quicker we got away from Quaritch the better.

Trudy got on it right away. She threw some switches and some levers above our heads. "Sorry Doc, I forgot you're not one for chit chat."

"I see that knowing me for five years gets you nowhere," Grace commented, I could almost hear the amused annoyance in her voice. That mood only seemed to exist in Grace, being delighted and annoyed at the same time equally. That was our Grace.

And it gave me important information. Grace knew Trudy for five years. Maybe I could ask my boss about her. In passing of course. It would be an odd conversation to bring up. Not that I wanted to know anything about Trudy. We just had tea together, she taught me how to fly, and the occasional lunch. Friends…but there wasn't anything wrong about learning…about new friends was there?

My scrambled thoughts were disrupted by the sights. The Hallelujah Mountains came into our view. Trudy said something about her instruments not working well, Grace said something about the scientific reasoning behind the Mountains. I didn't care why they floated, they were just…so beautiful.

"You should see your faces," Trudy replied as Jake and I sat there with our mouths open like Earth sheep staring at the rain with wonder. We heard Grace laughing from the back of the Samson, amused by our excitement and awe.

"Don't forget boys we aren't here to sight see," Grace reminded them. "As soon as we touchdown I want you back at Hometree, Jake. Maybe we can start getting us involved too. I don't want you having too much fun. I'd like to see them all again, maybe Norm even."

"Sure," Jake said with a shrug, still looking at the mountains like I was.

"Lesson Three?" Trudy said out of nowhere breaking the spell that I was under.

"Huh? Oh um…" I blinked a few times, and glanced over my shoulder. Jake just moved to talk to Grace, probably asking something about Neytiri. For some reason the Clan Leader's daughter was on his lips often lately. "Sure, yeah. What do I do?"

Trudy looked over at me, if only I could see her eyes through those annoying sun glasses of hers. But from her mouth and the smack of her gum, I knew that she was up to something. I was pretty sure that I didn't like it. "Think fast," She took her hands off the controls.

"Wha-" I gasped before leaning over and grasping the control stick-thing which just so happened to be between her legs…I'd have to be careful of where I was looking. "So, what exactly am I doing here? I'd rather not die…"

She laughed and pointed straight. "Just keep her steady. I'll let you know if there's an iceberg ahead. Go head, play a bit." Once again, I felt her calm. It was as if she gave me a toy helicopter and wanted me to play pretend with it…cept this one wasn't so replaceable.

I gently turned the stick to the right, the Samson turned right carefully. Then I did the same to the left. "Um…Trudy. Is that. A mountain, what do…Trudy, a mountain!" I remembered her saying that the controls weren't working. Maybe she hadn't noticed. What if we splattered? I didn't want to die like that.

"Chill Norm," Trudy's hands wrapped around mine and she guided me and the Samson to the left to avoid the mountain. They felt nice. "See, just let it flow. You gotta let your eyes do the work, but let your arms be an extension of them." After she gained confidence in me again, she let go of my hands. "Wow, look at you Norm, you're flying." I didn't have to look over to her to know that she was smiling.

I just laughed in amazement. Okay, I wasn't exactly flying the Samson, but it did feel like it. I could understand why Trudy loved this.

It didn't seem that Grace had the same fondness for it, though.

"Chacon, you're flying this thing right? I wouldn't want to learn that I died because you were giving out lessons to the less fortunate," Her voice came from the back of the Samson.

Trudy took over the controls, letting my hands fall from it. "Wouldn't dream of it boss." Now that my hands were free, I didn't know what to do with them. I glanced at them for a moment and put my hands in my lap like a child. Then looking back over my shoulder, I saw Grace showing Jake some maps, though our resident wheelchaired jarhead was too busy giving me the thumbs up.

* * *

After placing the bunker on land, and changing back into my human body I slipped outside of the tiny bunker. "We're already to go now." I waved Jake and Grace in who moved quickly inside. I was about to move back in the bunker to catch up on Grace's plans, except I saw Trudy pulling off her helmet and slowly powering down the Samson.

I put my hands in my pockets and wandered over to her. "So, um. You gonna stick around? You know, for the tea. I need an audience. Thought about playing with the recipe." It was getting a little old already, actually, I had to come up with some other way of keeping her around. Though nothing came at the time.

"Can't stick around all of the time," Trudy admitted jumping out of the Samson, and tossing me a guard as we covered the vents. "Course I'm in charge of you guys. Supplies. If you need to be dropped somewhere. So…I'll be around. To try that tea of yours."

"Course, yeah," I replied knowing full well how happy I looked, or honestly, how idiotic I looked. Trudy punched my arm with her fist affectionately now following Grace and Jake into the bunker. When we were inside she went right for the fridge.

I simply watched her, well, I checked her out again really…wondering which was prettier. The Mountains or her. I shook my head though, I didn't want to start crushing on Trudy more than I already was. Yes, she was beautiful and yes, she didn't seem to hate the look of me. She even seemed to like me. No reason to go and start naming our children yet. Because I knew what would happen, I would mention something somewhat flirtatious and she would say that she didn't see me that way. That I was the goofy friend/brother-like guy that she loved…but not in that way. It was what I was used to. Even from Allison Krupkie the pig faced girl from back home. So much like Grace and Jake, I buried myself in work.

I tried desperately to ignore Trudy's actions day in and day out, although I'm pretty sure I stared at her while watching her do pull ups one day. Right when she was finished though I snapped myself out of it. She wasn't interested. Anyway, Quaritch was right, a bird and a fish couldn't be together. Where would they live?

One day I was trying to avoid watching Trudy lean over the fridge…once again that appealing ass of hers calling to me, and I was hit upside the head.

"Ouch!" I grumbled before looking back and seeing it was Grace, a paper in one hand and cigarette in another. "Um. What did I do?" I asked hesitantly, one never knew with Grace. "I didn't forget to turn off the Avatar-"

"No. You remembered. I just don't wanna clean up any drool off the floor is all," Grace said a matter-of-factly before taking a deep long drag on her cigarette.

I looked over to Trudy who was now sitting on her bunk, and then back at Grace who had an eyebrow raised. "Oh. Sorry. I just. I know it's silly. Sorry," I shrugged blushing deeper than a tomato and trying desperately to hide my head in my neck like a turtle.

Grace sighed deeply and leaned over to me. "Norm, lemme give you a little advice. I've known Trudy for a while now. She ain't interested in something if it don't fly. She's a simple girl with simple tastes. And there has been no man or woman who could get her to look at them twice. So save yourself the drool. Plus, I got work for you do to." She left with that, a small cloud of smoke moving with her.

I coughed quietly, and glanced up at Trudy thinking that maybe Grace was right. I hadn't ever heard of Trudy being with anyone before. Maybe she just wasn't interested at all, and I would only be her friend.

A second later, there she was. In my face. "You up for lesson four? Maybe I'll teach you to turn on the damn thing now. If you're lucky."

My eyes met hers, looking like a lost puppy dog again. "Trudy. Maybe. Maybe Quaritch was right?"

"What do ya mean?" She asked crossing her arms.

"He said birds and fish don't mix. You're all…hard core and scary, but in a cool way. And I'm a geeky weakling," I pointed out. "I don't know why you bother with me frankly." A part of me had always wondered this, and now hearing Grace's warning, it brought it all to the surface.

Trudy just smiled and muttered, "Yeah, he's right in a way I guess. We're different. But hey, Mr. Fish…why do you think I'm teaching you how to fly?"

She held out her hand to me, and I took it.

Note: If you ever do get the chance to see Avatar again, look in the background during Jake's tape sessions in the bunker. The first really does have Norm drooling over Trudy while she does pull ups, haha.


	5. Telsepe's Patience

Note: From the last chapter I forgot to say that none of this is mine, especially the lines that I lifted from the movie and so on and so on! Here's the next one. Hope you like.

Every day in the bunker was a little more interesting than the next. Jake and I were on full tutor and teacher mode. I taught him Na'vi, well at least I tried to. The guy is thicker than a gorilla sometimes I swear it. Trudy would always look on and laugh. When I'd try to teach her some she'd just wave her head and say that she knew better than to throw herself into something like that. I don't think Trudy ever really thought that she was smart. Book smarts. Whenever I mentioned such things to her, she always said that she wasn't good at it. That she'd day dream in high school…and doodle. Even before she started to fly her head was in the clouds.

It was still fun to tease her though. And she took to teasing me right back. Especially when it came to my piloting skills. Towards the middle of our stay Trudy finally allowed me to turn on the Samson. Though she didn't tell me that I forgot to take the guards off and we just floated around the same area for a good half an hour. She had such a look on her face when she told me why we weren't flying. Yeah, we had our fun.

There were days that she left, to get more supplies. When she was gone I was…bored. It was like my playmate was gone. There was one day in particular though that comes to mind. She'd been out all day, and I heard the Samson land. I waited for her to come in, ready to bother her with some question, with anything to talk to her again. But she wasn't coming in. I looked at my watch, five minutes. Maybe she was hurt? Of course I was one to jump to those conclusions and quickly put on my oxygen mask ready to fend off a silent pack of Viperwolves that were attacking her.

To my surprise Trudy was right there. I looked down and I saw her lying down in the grass looking up at the stars peacefully. Still needing to make sure she was okay, I leaned over and saw that her oxygen mask was indeed working. So she was fine just…star gazing apparently.

"Oh, sorry. I was wondering why you didn't come in right away, sorry I'll leave you alone," I bumbled, already heading towards the bunker.

Trudy leaned up and looked over her shoulder. "C'mon, Norm join me. Unless you got something better to do."

There was a hint of a challenge in her voice, and I was ready to take it. I moved back around and lay down next to her looking up into the stars. The only sound was that of the Pandora jungle. Little chirps and rustles, the sound of Pandora's nightlife. The few nocturnal animals, and the sound of the wind rustling through the plant life. It was pretty, but I had no idea what we were doing.

"So, um. You okay?" I asked looking over at Trudy who seemed fine to stay silent.

"Uh huh," She uttered. "Just thinking."

I blinked a few times. "What about?"

Trudy took a deep breath and practically whispered, "Everything. My life. Just thinking about what you asked me. A while ago when you made me tea. If I was happy."

"Well, you know that was just me being existential and stuff, I wouldn't worry about-"

"No it was…it was important to think about. Everyone just spends time doing what they should do, not what they want to," She mused aloud. That was my Trudy. One minute she'd be picking on me for forgetting to set up the com system in the Samson, and the next she'd be questioning the world. All the while without breaking her cool.

I smiled slightly, turning my head towards her. "And what conclusion have you come to? Are you…happy?"

Trudy seemed to be glad that I asked. "I'm not happy…not yet. But I'm moving towards being happy."

"What would make you happy?" I questioned feeling a bit like a shrink, but knowing that this was what Trudy needed right now. She needed to voice whatever it was she was thinking.

"Flying to help people for one," She explained, "Right now I'm a glorified pack mule bringing supplies in and out of camps. I wanna actually…do something you know? Not just do it for the paycheck. Cause you know it's a shitty paycheck." I laughed politely and nodded for her to move on. "But I do want more than that. I've always thought that if I was flying it would be enough."

"Grace mentioned that you said something like that to her once," I commented remembering Grace's warning to me.

Trudy nodded. "Yeah. If I was flying than life was good. But that was a dream of mine when I was a kid. Now it's reached, I don't want to just be…complacent. I need more in my life…and I sound like such a whiney shit don't I?" She asked turning her head to look at me.

"No you're not," I said quickly. "As an ex-Marine I don't think that you are often encouraged to be… introspective."

"You were so going to say something else weren't you?" Trudy grinned her eyes blazing.

"No…no-" Then she gave me that look of hers. "Okay, I was going to say you aren't often encouraged to…think." As soon as the words came out of my mouth, Trudy punched me in the shoulder although it was pretty lightly. "Ow! See I can't be truthful with you people. You beat me," I whined dramatically before laughing myself.

Trudy erupted in chuckles, her body shaking lightly. Slowly our laughter faded down until all we could hear was the quiet of nature again. I broke the silence this time, saying, "So, what is it that you want? Could I help?"

I glanced over at Trudy through her oxygen mask, I saw her lips straighten in seriousness again. "Maybe. Tell me a story Norm. A Na'vi story."

I was caught off guard by that, but if Trudy wanted a story, who was I to disagree? I searched through my head of all of the Na'vi folk tales that I knew. One stood out in my mind. "Okay. Um. There was this son of a Clan Leader. Neh'paya. He was a great hunter and a great warrior. All of the other People emulated him. Wanted to be as strong as the great Neh'paya. Everyone knew that one day he would lead them with power and strength not seen since the Old Days. But what they didn't know what that Neh'paya had a secret grief within him." Looking over to Trudy, I saw her eyes were glued on the stars. I continued the story, but I watched her all of the while. "Neh'paya missed a friend that he made as a child. Telsepe. They were inseparable as friends, but then their fathers got in an argument as they just started to reach their adolescence. Telsepe and her father left the People and moved towards the Sea. Neh'paya thought of Telsepe often and always dreamed of seeing her again."

"It was time for Neh'paya to choose a mate, and all of the women were excited. Hoping that they would be picked to be the mate of the brave Neh'paya. But in a shocking twist, he exclaimed to all of the people that his mate was Telsepe, the daughter from the Clan by the Sea. The People were shocked and his parents threatened him, begged him to pick a new mate. They began to think that he was ungrateful, was too greedy in his choice. Yet he stood his ground and announced that he would gather his mate that night."

"So he traveled to the Sea to find the friend of his childhood and his future mate. And find her, he did. But she was already to be mated with the lead male of the Clan, Usbat'su. Neh'paya pretended to be a relative of the People of the Sea. Knowing their names well as a child, he was able to mask his identity, and started to live as one of the People of the Sea. He began to talk to Telsepe, as a friend, and as a concerned neighbor. She talked to him as well, but showed no sign of recognizing him from childhood."

"After months of staying with the People of the Sea, Telsepe and Usbat'su were set to mate one day. The People were aflutter excited for their new Clan Leaders. But Neh'paya couldn't stand by and watch the woman he loved mate with another. So, hours before their mating, Neh'paya slipped into Telsepe's cavern and revealed himself to be her childhood friend and her rightful mate. To his surprise Telsepe just smiled and asked why he waited so long to come to her. That she had been waiting for him since she was a child, and since he came to the Sea, she had been waiting for him to speak to her with his real name."

Trudy muttered, "So she knew all along. Smart girl."

"Yes," I continued, "She was smart. Neh'paya and Telsepe mated right there and then so that Usbat'su could never put a claim on Telsepe. Not while the childhood friends were so in love. When they exited her cavern, Usbat'su challenged Neh'paya to a fight to the death. That or banishment. While Neh'paya, being the strong warrior, wanted to fight, Telsepe separated the two men, and convinced her mate that they should leave the People of the Sea and return to his family, to their new home."

"The newly mated pair traveled back to Hometree and to Neh'paya's family. However, they rejected Neh'paya's mate, as she was not one of their own. That she was from the People of the Sea and therefore a traitor to those at Hometree. She was not welcome there. So Neh'paya and Telsepe left Hometree, and start a new life together on the plains. They accepted any Na'vi who was without a clan. Without a home. Together, with the many children of Neh'paya and Telsepe, they helped to create a new clan. A clan which today is known as the People of the Plains. And even today, if you go to the People of the Plains they will accept you and your mate despite your background. Because they remember their beginnings. They remember Neh'paya and Telsepe."

Trudy sighed and closed her eyes when my story was finished. "Thanks Norm. That was…pretty. It's a real story of theirs?"

I nodded. "It is. One of my favorites."

The quiet of the forest enveloped us again before Trudy said quietly, "I guess they made it work didn't they?"

"Hm? Oh, Neh'paya and Telsepe? Yeah they did. Course it's a story so who-"

"Shh," Trudy said quickly. "Let me believe it's real."

I chuckled quietly and nodded. "Sure okay. Sorry."

Her eyes moved back to the stars again. I decided to do the same thing trying to see what she was seeing.

"I guess I have to keep waiting too. Like Telsepe." Trudy whispered to herself.

I was pretty sure I was going to puke in my oxygen mask. This was when she was going to admit to me that she was in love with Jake. Grace. The Colonel. Max. The guy who sat next to us at lunch. Anyone. That she was just waiting for them to realize that she was there. I could feel it coming.

I decided to head off her revelation. "Well, I understand the…beauty of the story and all. But you shouldn't wait for what you want to come to you. Telsepe just should have…talked to him herself in the first place and just save everyone all of their…issues," I argued being as clueless as I notoriously am.

Trudy turned to me with raised brows with that amused look on her face. "So it was her fault?"

"No, I'm not saying that either," I quickly course corrected not ready for a gender discussion this late at night that I'm sure Trudy would want to take part in. "Just saying she could have just as easily talked to him about it."

Trudy seemed suddenly interested. "You don't think he would have minded? Her…pouncing? Pouncing him?"

"No, not if he loved her like he said he did. This is getting kind of silly isn't it? It's a folk tale-"

"That's a true story," Trudy insisted. It was nice to know that she wanted to believe in fairy tales. "Do you want to go inside?"

"Yeah sure," I agreed getting up and heading towards the bunker. "I'm glad you liked the story though. Gwen included it in her first book." Anything was better than talking about who her Neh'paya was. I always knew that I should really hate that story…

"Huh. That's interesting," Trudy said although it was clear that her mind was on something else completely.

I frowned. Maybe she was going to go inside and pounce Jake. What a horrible end to a wonderful evening.

When we got inside the bunker, I pulled the oxygen mask off my head carefully, Trudy did the same. "You know you never answered my question," I started to say, "You never said what would make you happy-"

Trudy cut off my words with her lips pressing against mine. To say that I was in shock and awe at that moment was a bit of an understatement. I was pretty sure my legs were melting beneath me, and my head was about to pop off. When she pulled away she looked into my eyes and said, "Consider yourself pounced."

"Really?" I asked. "Me?"

Trudy's lips grew slowly into a deep grin. She nodded.

"Not Jake or Gwen or Max or the Colonel?"

Trudy wrinkled her nose. "Ew, the Colonel? I think I'd rather puke actually."

I laughed in disbelief running my hand through my hair like I had just been told that I won the Nobel Peace Prize. Trudy, being ever patient, just watched me almost pace around the front door in shock. "I mean. I had…well you're beautiful and I…I'm pretty sure that I adore you I just didn't think that you-"

"Norm," Trudy cut in a slight annoyance in her voice.

"Yeah?" I chirped pausing my pacing so we were standing eye to eye.

Trudy grabbed hold of my shirt into her fist and tugged closer. "Just kiss me some more will ya?"

I grinned deeply. "Yes, please." I fell into her and our lips met. We kissed all night, among other things that shouldn't be mentioned here. No question, it was the best day of my life. I was in love with Trudy Chacon, and it turned out that she loved me too.

If only everything had stayed so perfect.


	6. Here With Me

Note: Thanks for the reviews again! This chapter took me a bit to write since the next chapter was actually coming to me quicker haha. Look for the next one to pop up quickly.

That night before I fell asleep, I was sure that I would wake up and the world would be back to normal. Trudy wouldn't even look at me, and my main goal would be to explore Pandora. All of this would be a dream. But when I woke up, I was still dreaming. Trudy was wrapped in my arms, her head resting on my chest. I smiled gently, letting my hand run through her hair that billowed along her bare back. Yes, I was dreaming. It was a beautiful dream that I didn't think I was going to wake up from. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I stayed like that for a while, simply watching the beautiful woman in my arms breathing. Then I saw her eyes slowly open. She shifted slightly, I loosened my grip allowing her to adjust. Her head rolled up to see me. A second later, her thin lips spread into a smile. "Hi, stranger," She whispered raising her head slowly from my chest.

"Hi," I uttered. "You sleep okay?" We didn't exactly get too much sleep the night before.

"Yeah," She said leaning her head up kissing my lips gently with hers. "You?"

I nodded my hand on her back again. "Yeah, perfect."

"Good," Trudy said before resting her head on my chest again. She was content. Calm, as she always was, but I don't think she was often…content. Maybe I was what she needed. Tilting my head closer, I kissed her forehead gently which caused her lips to spread into a smile again. "That's nice. You're nice."

I chuckled quietly. "Is that why you went for me? Well, he isn't exactly good with a gun, but he's a nice guy?" I said pitching my voice a little higher but harder at the same time, trying to match Trudy's gravely voice.

She shifted in my arms so her eyes met mine. "What's wrong with being a nice guy?"

"Nothing, just saying…" From the look on her face she didn't get what I meant. "Trudy…you could have probably any guy on this whole planet."

After a thought she shook her head, "I don't think Kyle and Emerson would go for it." Of course she had to name the two openly gay soldiers.

"Haha. Okay," I groaned. "Everyone except them. And them I think you might even be able to convert. Just saying. You could have any of them and look what you got," I waved my hand around as if I was presenting myself for the meat block. "A pasty weakling."

Just then Trudy punched me in the shoulder. As if to prove my point I whined, "Ow! What was that for?" It really had hurt.

"Wonder why I don't want those kinda guys? Why would I want to date a Marine who is more proud of himself when he burps the alphabet than anything?" Trudy pointed out. And she did have a good point there. "I like you. Pasty weakling and all."

"You know what the Colonel would say. Bird and fish." I wondered what the Colonel would do if he found out that the bird and fish were fraternizing. I had a feeling that one of us would end up in confinement.

"Yeah, well he's an asshole so he's not even an animal," She said very matter of factly, once again her lack of respect for command ripping through. "Norm…I've been with guys like that. Who think they're so strong and kick ass. It turns into a competition with them. They need to prove that they're better than me. Or I need to prove that I'm better. I don't want a fucking competition with my partner. I just want to…have fun I don't know. All I know Norm is you…you're so fucking nice. I like that. You're passionate. Loads smarter than me-"

"Different types of smarts-"

"Whatever. You talk to me about home. You actually give a shit where I came from, and you didn't jump my bones the minute I met you." She explained.

I winced trying to imagine what would have happened if I did try to get into her pants right away. "You probably would have beaten the crap out of me."

She chuckled now, shaking her head. "No, I would have rolled my eyes and moved on. I'm used to it. But you didn't do that. You actually got to know me….no one's done that. No one." I remembered Grace telling me that all Trudy cared about was her Samson. This had to be from the conversations that she had with Trudy. But, really, I thought, what else would they have to talk about? I couldn't imagine Grace asking Trudy about her hopes and dreams. Maybe I was the first to actually care. Trudy continued, "And you don't know how nice it is to simply…enjoy being with someone. Without having to worry about who's better. Just talking and having fun. Who wouldn't want that? Cept I must admit, I do like the fact that you are here now. And there's nothing you can do about it." She bit down on my shoulder then.

"So you have me in your clutches now? I can't go anywhere?" I asked with a smirk thinking that if I had to be held captive by anyone, it'd probably be Trudy. "Maybe I'd run away."

"No, I'd catch you," Trudy said with no question, "You're not very fast, baby."

"Is that why you like me, too? You can easily catch me if you want me?"

She just smirked deeply at first. "Now you know the secret." and kissed me hard. Among other things. If you must know the details she got on top of me, she was always spunky, and well…I'm sure you can use your imagination.

A few minutes later we heard someone clearing their throat. I closed my eyes holding back a swear word. We hadn't talked about keeping our relationship quiet, but it didn't seem like we had any option now. Trudy paused for a moment, getting a good look at Jake in his wheelchair grinning like a madman. "Feeling better, huh, Norm?"

I just whimpered. Trudy, always being Trudy, laughed and offered him a wave, "Keep wheeling Marine. This don't concern your ass."

Jake just chuckled and moved away. So he knew. It wasn't the end of the world right? Trudy threw the sheet over our heads again. "So…where we were?" That was the day that I learned that Trudy liked others to know that she was "breaking the rules." If anything, she was louder than she had been the night before. Poor Jake.

I don't think it's a secret to say that the remaining two and half months were the best of my life. Trudy continued her job, I continued mine. All worked perfectly, and at night she crawled into my bunk whether Jake or Grace were there or not. Jake continued to encourage us. In fact, he admitted to me that he was falling for Neytiri. The two of us laughed like school boys about it. Grace. She was a completely different animal.

The first day she realized what was happening between us, she decided not to say anything. She just kept walking past us like she hadn't seen Trudy lying in my arms. I was terrified of her talking to me, and she finally did when Trudy went on her next errand. The two of us were going over some samples, her face was in a microscope. "So you ignored me?" She asked.

"Huh?" I uttered looking down at my notes. "I got 3.47 millimeters. That's what you said right?"

Then she pulled back from the microscope. "Not about the samples, Norm. Trudy. You ignored me."

"Oh," I pressed my lips together feeling like my mother caught me taking cookies from the cookie jar when she told me not to touch. "I didn't…ignore you. I listened to you and it was a concern."

She laughed. "A goddam concern?"

I got defensive, "What does it matter to you Grace? I mean, I…if I want to get my heart broken what does it matter to you?"

"Cause good workers don't work when they're heartsick, Spellman. And she's not just gonna break you're heart, she's going to rip you to shreds," Grace said standing up and heading towards the kitchenette.

"And you've decided this why?" I asked still amazed that I was arguing with Grace. And a little terrified.

Grace stared at me, her eyes almost dark. "Because that's what happens to people like us, Spellman." With that she got a carton of yogurt and sat back down at the microscope. "3.47 millimeters. Next sample." Grace made it clear, it was time to move on. That we were done with the conversation. I had never really put any thought into Grace's life. I had always thought that she was a scientist who was in love with her work. Just like I had been before I landed on Pandora. It was stupid of me to think that way. Everyone had their own love story, and from the darkness in Grace's eyes…I'm pretty sure that hers didn't end well.

Course, the sad thing is that Grace was right all along. Trudy did rip me to shreds. But…not now.

I guess if I should tell you about one more day…it should be the day that Jake became a member of the Na'vi. All of our hard work was paying off. Jake was leaving to join the Na'vi officially. The guy was like a kid about to visit a candy shop or something he was so excited. Before he headed off, I hugged him hard, shook his hand. I was honestly proud of him. A month ago I was trying to get him to understand that English wasn't the only language in the known universe, today he spoke it fluently and was officially becoming one of the People.

Maybe if I hadn't had Trudy I would have been jealous of him still. I dreamed of becoming part of the Na'vi, but now I knew that it was his place and not mine. I mean, could you imagine me fighting an Ikran? No, that was Jake's world, and I was happy to see him join them. For more than a few reasons. Grace was attending the ceremony, I'm sure it was bittersweet for her as well. But the great thing about all of this was that Jake and Grace left me and Trudy alone again. From talking here, I bet it sounds like we were always alone, but it was only a handful of times really. But this night, it was special.

I hadn't told anyone. What would have been the point of it? Somehow, though, somehow, Trudy found out.

I was working on finishing up Grace's samples, she demanded that I do so before I engage in any "side activities" as she called it. God knew that I didn't want to offend Grace now. Not when she made her disapproval so clear.

"Norm?" Trudy called from the bunk area. "I gotta show you something. C'mere."

For a moment, I thought about refusing and finishing my work. Grace would have my hide, but maybe Trudy just wanted to show me something. Then I could go back to work, right? I stood up and walked towards the bunks, "Okay, just for a minute. Then I have to go back to….work." The room was pitch black with the exception of a series of candles that were standing atop a cake.

"Happy birthday, Norm," Trudy said her face illuminated by the candles.

I let out a laugh. "Wow…how did you…how did you find out?" I asked moving closer to her.

"I'm just that spectacular. Didn't you know that?" Trudy asked her hand on her hip as if I should have known better.

"Of course, silly me," I said, putting my hand around her waist and looking down into the cake.

"They ain't gonna blow themselves out, Spellman, go head," Trudy encouraged me. Looking at her in the candlelight, she looked so happy.

I raised my free hand in defeat. "Sorry, sorry." Taking a deep breath, I blew out all of the candles in one go, which left us in complete darkness now.

"What did you wish for?" She asked, her arms wrapping around my waist.

"I'm not supposed to tell you am I?" I felt a pinch on my ass. "Ow! Okay, okay. I just wished that you and me would be…well you know."

I felt her body press up against mine. "Do I?"

"Yeah, well, that we would always be together," I admitted feeling a little stupid.

"That's damn corny, Norm," She commented a slight laugh in her voice.

"Well, you told me to tell you!" I protested reaching out for the wall. "Now where is that light switch?"

Trudy flicked on the lights herself, and shook her head affectionately. "Norm, Norm, Norm. Didn't anyone teach you how to make a wish right? You've been making bad wishes all your life, man." She pulled out the candles from the cake and set them aside.

"Have I?" I asked dipping my finger into the icing, which elicited a slap to my hand. "Ow." It seemed like her slapping or punching or pinching me was becoming a part of our relationship now.

"Yes, watch it," Trudy said raising her finger warning. "Wishes that you make on your birthday are wishes that you probably won't get. And your wish, not up to par." She sliced a piece of cake for me and held it up to my face. "So you're just gonna have to make a new one."

I leaned forward to eat the cake, but Trudy smushed it in my face. She howled like a hyena, her shoulders shaking her laughter. I just stood there for a few moments. "Okay," I said calmly as if she never pushed cake in my face. "I came up with a wish. I wish to kiss my beautiful Trudy."

"No!" She screamed trying to run away from me, but I grabbed onto her middle. Sure, she could have gotten away if she tried, but she was also being hindered by her chuckles. I turned her around in my arms. She tried to pull away, but I had a hold of her. I planted a big kiss on her lips covering her face with cake as well. "You bastard."

I wiped Trudy's chin with my finger, and stuck the cake covered finger into my mouth. "Huh," I commented after letting it hit my tongue. "That's pretty good."

"You surprised that I'm a good cook?" Trudy asked as she cleaned my face more directly. She licked the icing from my face.

"You're just a jack of all trades aren't you?" I pointed out. "Thanks for this. It's…nice."

Trudy pulled back from my face with her eyebrows raised. "It's your birthday. What type of…girlfriend would I be if I didn't get you cake on your birthday?" It was the first time that she ever labeled us as being anything. I was still a little worried that Trudy would come to her senses and admit that we were only friends with benefits. It was amazing to hear her say "girlfriend." That was the best birthday gift that she could give me. To know that she actually did care about me.

I shook my head in amazement of her, and it just slipped out. "I love you, Trudy." It took both of us off guard. I let go of her waist, and took a step back. "Sorry. I mean, I was in the moment I guess. Sorry."

Trudy eyed me carefully looking a little hurt now. "What's…what's wrong with that?"

"What, what do you mean?" I asked wondering if I had just made a huge mistake. How could one go from being on top to hitting rock bottom?

Trudy put her hands in her pockets. "Nevermind." She picked up a napkin and cleaned her face. Okay, I thought to myself, I officially screwed up.

"I'm sorry. I didn't…it just came out. I shouldn't have said it," I said quickly trying to fix this as soon as possible so we could go back to being happy and kissey.

She shook her head. "I didn't mind it. Seems like you do though."

"Oh," Now I understood. "I thought that you wouldn't…that you wouldn't want to hear that."

Trudy crossed her arms and looked at me square in the face. I couldn't run away if I wanted to. "Did you mean it? I mean, did you really truly mean it?"

What did she want me to say, was all I could think. I wanted to make Trudy happy, but I could see from that look that she wanted the truth. And only the truth. I rubbed the back of my hair, and nodded. "I meant it."

"Say it," Trudy demanded, disbelief in her face.

I took a step closer to her and took her hands. "Trudy, I love you. You're beautiful and intelligent, even though you don't think you are. You're so brave. And calm. And it's like…when I'm with you…everything is right in the world. Even all of this crap with the RDA, it's all gone. Because you just make everything okay when I'm around you." I made sure that her eyes were with mine. "I love you, Trudy."

I wouldn't believed it if you told me, but I saw a tear form in the corner of Trudy's left eye. "Big softie," She laughed a bit before looking away and then back at me. "I love you too. My…pasty weakling who knows more about the Na'vi than I know about humans. You make me happy," She admitted simply then smiling deeply. "I love you, too."

We made love all night, "I love you" always on our lips as we explored each other's bodies once again. It was a wonderful birthday. And it brought those three magical months to a close. The next day…well. I'll talk about that tomorrow.


	7. I Don't Believe You

Note: I apologize in advance if I get the sequence of events off a little bit! I tried to be as accurate as possible. Hope you like.

I wish I could say that we had a fantastic morning before it all ended in the bunker. We danced through the Helios as the sun raised, and made out and said we loved each other…but it didn't happen. And I don't think Trudy would want to dance through flowers anyway, not exactly her style.

The day it all ended I woke up before Trudy. Not wanting to disturb her, I went to the small kitchenette and made us some tea. The smell must have woken her up, she was on my heels holding her hand out for a cup after pulling on her t-shirt. She winked at me as she sipped the warm liquid. While we had our moments of lounging in the morning, I remembered that Trudy had another run to do. Work to be done. Trudy kissed my cheek left the bunker without a word, though she took her tea with her.

When she left I smiled to myself. There was that silence again. Trudy seemed to enjoy silence, unless it involved our love making. Then she preferred quite the opposite. I mused on this thought as I moved towards the work that Grace wanted me to finish the night before. Hopefully I would finish before she returned and avoid her wrath. Or maybe she would be so giddy over Jake's initiation she wouldn't care.

Just as my eyes reached the microscope, I heard a cry. I lifted my head, not recognizing it at first. Then I heard it again.

"Norm!" Trudy cried out from outside of the bunker, "They're here!" Her voice was dwarfed then from the sounds of the machines. The sound of the Colonel, and then beginning of the end.

I ran towards the door but they came in before I could reach it.

"You can't come in here! They're plugged in. You can't-" The butt of a gun collided with my stomach and I was on the ground. I had no idea what was happening. Why they were pulling us away like this? All I knew was that I wanted to stay in the bunker where I was happy…and it was obvious that the RDA wasn't going to comply.

I heard the release of pressure. Grace screaming, Jake calling out. Trying to make sense of it all. A second later Marine's were practically dragging both Jake and Grace out of the bunker. I felt a Marine's arm tightly holding my forearm, I raised myself to my feet although my stomach was dreadfully sore.

When I was pulled out of the bunker, I remembered feeling like the sun was so bright. I squinted even from behind the glass of my exopack mask. Allowing my eyes to open slightly I saw the Colonel staring down Trudy. My heart leaped into my throat.

"I'm disappointed in you Chacon," His deep husky voice uttered, "In fact, I would say you did a piss poor job. You put up your boots and enjoyed your time off, turn yourself a blind eye to these treehuggers? You should have been sending me detailed reports on when and where fucking Jake Sully pissed. You hear me?"

Trudy stood her ground, standing at attention as I knew was required. But I knew that she was just waiting for him to finish. Then I knew what would happen next, Trudy would spit in his face or say something sarcastic. She'd kick him in the shins, or make a face at him.

"You got me, Chacon? You may have left the Marine's to fly, but you're one of us. And if I ever catch you playing nice with the scientists, I'll rip your pretty face off, comprende?"

I listened carefully wanting to see her retribution.

Instead I heard her say, "My apologies, sir. Won't happen again." And the thing that killed me about it, she was sincere.

As I was loaded into the car, I tried to catch her eyes. When I finally met hers they were cold and uncaring. Maybe it was a dream after all.

It all happened so fast when we returned to base. Pleading for the Na'vi with Selfridge who only wanted money. Begging for more time to work and less to deal with people like Quatrich. But Jake ended up burying us all, admitting that the Na'vi didn't want a thing. Only to be left alone. Hearing all this, and sitting down in the labs, I wondered for a moment if it was a mistake to come to Pandora. I could be on Earth right about now. Sharing a two bedroom apartment with my sister. Maybe teaching some classes down at the college, having lunch with my mother who was a professor herself. Finding someone who wasn't repulsed by me. Have kids. Have a normal and perfectly boring life.

But I knew I wouldn't be happy. Not when I knew what true happiness really was. Researching a people that I respected like no other, and…Trudy. Forget it, I thought to myself at the time, maybe Grace was right. She had to be. As if Trudy wanted to prove me wrong she showed up right then, her helmet in her arm.

I stood up, while Jake and Grace looked at Trudy warily. She hadn't given us up, but she didn't exactly take a bullet for us either.

Trudy spoke before we had an opportunity to comment. "Quatrich's gonna hit hometree," She said simply. Grace and Jake moved right away. No words were needed, just movement to end this. To try and stop it by any means necessary. I started to follow them, but Trudy wasn't going anywhere. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes met mine. Once again, the warm Trudy I had known was replaced by a cold one. It was like she didn't even recognize me.

I should have known better to just leave it at that. Run away, and let my heart repair itself after the Na'vi were safe. But I was, above all things, angry. Seeing her there and knowing that a part of her gave a damn. A part of her had to, she came down here after all. At the same time though, I noticed while Trudy wasn't running towards her Samson, she was dressed to fly. Dressed to take part in all of this, and she seemed to show no hesitance. So deep down, Trudy didn't want anything to do with this…but she was ignoring that part of her. Now, she was that ice cold Marine the Colonel wanted her to be. Yeah, I was angry.

"You're flying down with them are you?" I asked feeling a slight pang to my chest as I did because my words were as cold as her eyes. "You're gonna actually do this. You're gonna kill the Na'vi." The realization that the sweet girl who just wanted to fly and be happy was going to turn killer after today wisped through my words.

"It's my orders," She said simply enough. Her words seemed detached. "It's my job, Norm."

I just snorted shaking my head in disbelief. "You were the one that said that you wanted to help people. That you were sick of being a pack mule. Well, guess what Trudy, you're no longer a pack mule, now you're an executioner," I spat then finding my feet.

"That is not fair," Trudy growled running after me, not caring that I refused to meet her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? What do you want me to do? Say no? You don't fucking know the Marines, Norm. You can't play peace with these guys. They'll put a bullet in your head."

"In a pack mule's head?" I asked knowing that Trudy wasn't one of the higher ups. "The Colonel wouldn't even know if you weren't out there. He has too many other things on his mind. One less Samson wouldn't make an ounce of difference, but you're going to go anyway."

I could see that Trudy's fists were clenched tightly, and I didn't hear that ever present smack of her gum. Yeah, she was just as pissed as I was. "Yes, I am. I don't have a place to run and hide Norm. I have to come back here eventually, where else will I go? I don't have family on Earth anymore…this is all I have."

"I thought you had me," I muttered to her before slamming the glass elevator door in her face. And that comment, that seemed to melt her eyes. Trudy looked away, like she always did when she was trying to hide emotion, but I knew I got to her. I could see the water in her eyes, although she would never let them fall now.

I had hoped that she would stop me, join me, but she ran towards the hanger. I knew that I should think that this would be our last exchange. That she was out of my life forever, but I saw her break. I had faith that Trudy would do the right thing in the end. I had faith in her.

"What do we do now?" I asked Grace and Jake quietly though the both of them didn't seem so interested in anything now beyond recovering from what just happened. Hometree was destroyed. Jake's relationship with Neytiri was destroyed. The three of us sat there in a cell, waiting for God knew what. It felt like the world was coming to an end.

Grace sighed running her hands through her hair. "Wait for Parker to take pity on our asses and send us back to Earth probably. Fuck," She uttered kicking the wall in frustration.

"I can't believe this is happening," Jake whispered. Jake looked like I felt. While he didn't give me the details at the time, I know now that Neytiri completely rejected him when she heard his original purpose in joining the Na'vi. I couldn't completely blame her for being upset, although it was clear on his face that he loved her. That all of the Marine crap that he started off with was gone now.

I had recently come to the realization that Jake was now more Na'vi than human. And watching him sit there in his human body, he just seemed so lost and out of place.

Grace wasn't too much better. She'd fought those Marines so hard when they pulled her away from the lab. Just like I had. But all of the fight seemed to be gone from her now. Grace Augustine had given up. That fact alone terrified me, and told me that we'd be lucky if we made it to Earth. Maybe Selfridge would lose his roller coaster conscience and leave us here to starve. Or send us out into space without oxygen. It would have to be a "mistake" of course he wouldn't want to ruin the RDA's image, but he could get away with killing us. He'd just gotten away with massacring hundreds of living creatures who were so very different from us, but so much more similar than anyone would accept.

I couldn't wallow anymore, I still had hope. And I had believed that maybe my hope could transfer over, I know. I was an idiot.

"Maybe…maybe Trudy will…maybe she'll come up with something," I brought up. There hadn't been any word from her, and it wasn't like Jake and Grace could find her Samson from the crowd to see if she was firing on them or not.

Grace seemed less than enthusiastic about that idea. "Really?" She asked staring at me as if I was an idiot. "I know that you two had…something going on which I really suggested you against, by the way, but don't be stupid, Spellman. You've seen the last of Trudy Chacon."

"I talked to her when you guys ran down," I said slowly and carefully as if I was talking to a child. Right now Grace was so hurt by all that had happened, I knew I was treading on thin ice as it was. "I think I got through to her."

"Maybe you go through her pants, Norm, but that's about it," Grace laughed harshly. I caught a glimpse of Jake wincing at that. He knew that I cared for her. "I told you, don't you get it? All she cares about is keeping that metal bird of hers in the sky. And do you know who owns her Samson? It sure as hell ain't her. She's not gonna risk losing that for anything. Wow, I thought you were really smart, Norm, I guess I was mistaken. Some people…they don't have hearts."

"No. No they don't," Jake echoed quietly though I doubted he was talking about Trudy.

I knew this wasn't a time to argue philosophy, but I couldn't believe that about anyone. Even the Colonel, somewhere had to have a heart didn't he? But one thing that I knew was that Trudy did. Even if Grace didn't believe it….she did. I pulled my legs up to my chin. "I don't believe it."

We sat in silence then. No one wanting to prophesize our doom more than we already had. A few minutes later there was a sound of doors opening. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her. It was Trudy pushing a cart of food, talking to the guardsman.

I tried not to look. We all looked away…what the hell was she doing here? Pilots didn't often deliver food. My heart was pounding hard and fast. What if this…could it? I closed my eyes and thought, 'Prove her wrong, baby. Prove her wrong.'

Just then Trudy pulled out a gun on the guard. "Trudy!" I cried out in triumph. Instantly Grace and I were on our feet. Max slipped in letting us out of our cell. I didn't know what to do when I met Trudy again, I was in such awe. At first I just simply walked up to her as she cuffed the man on the ground. Looking up at me, she grinned like nothing had happened at all. There was only warmth in her, that coldness was gone.

"What? Did you think I would leave you here? I gotta get out of here anyway. They're gonna be pretty pissed when they figure out I still have just as much ammo as I did when I left the hanger…" Trudy explained simply although she was saying so much more. I had gotten to her. She hadn't fired on the Na'vi, and now she was here to save us. I was in love with a superwoman.

A grin spread across my face. "Baby, you rock."

She laughed her whole face lighting up. "Yeah, I know. C'mon, Romeo, we gotta get out of here." She tossed me a gun and we lead Grace, Jake, and Max, heading towards the hanger. And to freedom.


	8. Interlude

Note: Short and simple interlude. Nope haven't forgot about the story. Just busy with life. Will get up next chapter soon hopefully. In the mean time, here goes…

Jake Sully sat down in front of the camera, his large blue body adjusting to the small room that was his home many years ago. He cleared his throat and readjusted the camera upwards so it was looking at Jake's face. His ears fluttered up. "This thing working?" A large finger poked the camera, it jarred and whistled. "Yep. Looks like."

He took a deep breath. "Okay. Yeah, I know I'm not Norm. He's off helping Neytiri with that baby. He's good with her. I ummm…" His large yellow eyes dropped down and back up from the camera. "Neytiri said that I should do this too. Which is silly because. Well, it's not that I don't miss Trudy. Don't get me wrong. She accepted me even before Grace did. And for an ex-Marine that's pretty damn impressive you know what I mean?" He smiled at the memory, flicking his tail in the background.

"I'm not here to talk about Trudy though. I miss her, but I've continued to live my life. I miss Tommy and Grace, too, but you can't let that stop you from moving on. Living what life you have left. Norm hasn't figured that out yet. I guess what I'm here to do is explain why Norm is doing this. Telling their story. It's not like this is an experiment. He needs…needs this. He needs something."

Jake closed his eyes tightly and shook his head quickly as if he was trying to shake an idea out of it. "No. I'm not putting this right. I've never been good with words. Look, Norm isn't living anymore. He's dying. It's almost like he's waiting for it. And just passing the time before it happens. That's the way it's been for a while. As soon as we rebuilt Hometree, he didn't have any more direct things to do, he'd just wander off. Sometimes for a few hours. Sometimes for a full day. Until last month. Last month, he was gone for a week. I was fucking terrified, man…I… He's my best friend, and he just off and ran into the jungle with an exopack and a book on Pandora. While Grace was a good writer, I don't think her book would save him from a Thanator. After a few days of searching, we found him. And he was okay. At least physically."

"When we found him. He was standing by the wreckage of Trudy's Samson. We should have known to look there first. The area…it's not too obvious that that's where the Samson landed, but one of the propellers is there. Mangled and twisted but it's…we left it there. Almost like a memorial for her. That's not that thing that scared us though, that he was there. He can go there all he wants. I know Neytiri didn't understand it. I tried to explain what a grave is on Earth, but she didn't completely get it. Anyway."

"Norm was there. And he was on the ground. Just sitting. Like it was just a normal day, and he was just taking a breather. When I called out to him, he didn't bother to look up at me. Just stared right ahead. Okay, he was in deep thought, no big deal right? That's Norm's deal. He thinks and loses track of time. But then I looked at his exopack. It had two minutes of oxygen left. Sirens started to go off on the exopack. Lights were blinking. And Norm wasn't moving. He heard it though, he heard it all right. It just didn't seem to matter to him that the filters weren't turning Pandora's air into oxygen anymore. That he was going to suffocate."

"I grabbed him. Threw him over my shoulder, and called a passing, and friendly, Ikran. Flew as quickly as we could. He was gasping for breath when I got him back to the bunker where the humans on Pandora live. I ripped the exopack off him. Yelled at him. Called him an idiot. That he should have looked at the filter before he left. That he should have brought an extra. I was pissed off. Rightfully so I guess. Norm just looked at me and walked away without a word. Like he was defeated."

"Later that night I talked to Max. Asked him how Norm was. I saw Norm around, of course. But I never saw him in the evening when he'd go back to the bunker to sleep. And I always remembered he was always calm and thoughtful at night. I remember coming back from Hometree and seeing Norm and Trudy…cuddling. Yes, you heard it here folks, Trudy cuddled." Jake let out a quiet laugh of remembrance before continuing, "He was always so calm then, and I wondered how he was now. Max told me he didn't sleep much. And if he did, he had nightmares."

"I told Max what happened with the exopack. He said that the one he took should have lasted him longer than a week. That Norm must have…and Max looked at it the specific pack. Norm made it malfunction. He wanted to die…"

"I don't know how to save him. Neytiri suggested this. But I don't know. I don't know if this is really going to help. Right now...it just makes me feel more helpless frankly. Like I'm gonna lose someone again. And that tapes will be all I have left of him. Maybe if I told him that I needed him. Max would miss him. My daughter wouldn't have a godfather…maybe he would change his mind. I think he knows all of that though. All that seems to matter is that he is here, and Trudy's not."

"I was pissed at him yesterday. I told him that Trudy would be so…so angry to see him like this. That seemed to pinch a nerve somewhere. I don't know though. If that helped or…I even asked Mo'at for help. She lost her mate in the war, too. She said she'd talk to him."

"I…I just don't want to lose another friend." There were tears gathering in Jake Sully's eyes when he turned off the recorder.


	9. Sundown

Note: Originally, I wanted to stick to all that happened in the movie and just work around what we didn't see. Yeah that kinda went out the window with this one haha. I just embellished…hope you don't mind.

"Huh," Norm muttered when he turned on the com again. The camera was raised up over his head from when Jake recorded his own message. Norm shrugged though, assuming that he knocked the camera when he left after his last recording. And then with a deep breath he continued his story…

* * *

Trudy and I ran down the hallways leading our little band of rebels. Max and Grace were helping Jake, holding him as we didn't exactly have time to grab his wheelchair.

"Here, c'mon," Trudy nodded her head towards the pilot's bay. Jake and the others would have to go around. But Trudy needed to get her gear first, and from her insistence, I guessed she wanted me to come with her.

As soon as we reached the small room, and the door closed behind us, Trudy grabbed hold of me. Her arms were around me in a moment, and mine around hers.

"You know you didn't have to do this," I uttered holding her tightly as if she would change her mind if I let her go.

Trudy snorted, looking up at me. "Really? Mr. You always said you didn't wanna be a mule…"

I winced, "Yeah, I did say that didn't I? I just…I know this is a big risk, and…" At the end of the day it was easy for me to say that Trudy needed to stand up to Quatrich. That he was an ass, and that she wasn't like him. That she needed to ignore her orders. Yeah, it was easy for me to say. But now, seeing her like this in my arms, I saw what she had done. She'd put herself on the top of the traitor's list. At least Grace and I were stupid tree huggers. Jake could walk again. Trudy though…she was a "true turncoat." Quatrich would want her dead. Now.

A sinking feeling in my stomach told me that if anything happened. Well, I would know who to blame.

She let go of me only to grab her things and hand me an exopack. Just as we placed them on our faces, the door opened to reveal all of the Samsons. They were ready to fly. All they needed was a pilot.

"C'mon, tiger," She uttered when the doors opened. "Show me your stuff." Catching a glimpse of her eyes, I saw a little pride in it. I couldn't help but smile. Without a question or any hesitance, I ran right to the Samson. Took off the guards, pulled on my helmet, and started up the Samson with Trudy's hands on the wheel. I peered over to her when I was done. I don't think I've ever seen her smile wider. "A + kid, freaking A +."

Just then Jake and Grace arrived, despite his handicap, Jake slipped inside of the chopper quickly.

"Max?" I asked calling back to him a little concerned as Trudy raised her baby in the air.

Jake shook his head. "Need someone on the inside."

"Speaking of inside…" Grace pointed towards the door. There he was.

"Fuck!" Trudy cried as she took off trying to ignore Quatrich's bullets that were piercing the Samson's metal. "You're gonna pay for the damages asshole." Yep, that was my Trudy. Didn't care that a bullet just missed her shoulder. She was more upset that there were now bullet holes in her Samson.

As soon as we hit the air of Pandora, Grace discovered she was injured. Everything is a blur from there. We helped Jake get Grace back to the Na'vi, he told us that they might be able to save her. I knew of the ritual he was discussing, but looking at Grace…I didn't know if anything could save her at that point. All of the while, Trudy kept a slight distance. I knew that look in her eye already. It was the same look she gave me before she left to unload missals on the Na'vi. She felt guilty.

When Jake ran off into the jungle as his avatar, Grace in his arms, I found myself in a silent bunker. You could hear the hum of the fans, providing us with oxygen in the middle of Pandora's toxic climate. Trudy usually did like quiet, but I could feel the unease in it. The questions. It's insane to think that we only knew each other for three months. I swear I could tell how Trudy felt about things that moment from the sound of her breathing.

She was on the top bunk, her legs dangling while her eyes were glued onto the ground. Her nametags dangled around her chest, adding the sound of a slight clink of metal to the hum of the fans. I walked over to her silently. My height allowed me to rest my upper body against the top bunk, and I simply looked up at her. Waiting for her to speak.

Her head turned to look at me. She sighed aloud. "If Grace dies…it's my fault isn't it?"

I knew it was coming, so I knew exactly what to say, "The only one to blame for this is Quatrich. You saved us, remember? No way you're to blame for this."

Trudy didn't seem to accept my words, but she didn't reject them either. "She's going to die isn't she?"

That, that I wasn't expecting. "Um. I'm not a doctor. Welp, not that kind of doctor. But…I don't…I don't think so. I know the ritual though. It..it could work. As long as Mo'at accepts her. Which I guess she would. They Na'vi have nothing against Grace, just human beings. Unfortunately she's a human being, even if she does love them."

Trudy nodded, her head still hung in shame.

"Hey," I whispered inching closer to her, my hands now on her knees. "You saved us. And you saved Na'vi as well. That's nothing to be laugh at Trudy. You…you amaze me. I don't think I could be as brave as you."

"Brave, stupid, or all out gullible. I could hear my mother asking me, 'if Norm told you to jump off a cliff would you do it?' " Finally a hint of a smile graced her face. "Probably would. Damn you."

I waved my hand, "I wouldn't worry about it. I'm not fond of jumping off cliffs. That's Jake's job. I just like being in the lab. And hanging out with cool people. I wouldn't worry about the cliff thing."

"My mother can sleep in peace then," She quipped, her legs gently swaying now. One on each side of my body. I took a step closer so my stomach was against the bed now, and she shifted forward so I could wrap my arms around her middle. Her fingers reached out to play with my hair. "So now where are we going to live, bird? Now that we can't be with humans anymore. You gonna make me a Na'vi?"

I chuckled quietly although I knew that there was a seriousness in her question. We had officially disowned our own race, we could never live with them again. We would have to find some other way. Hopefully the Na'vi would forgive us…after all, while I adore that bunker, it was pretty small. "You would be a beautiful Na'vi," I commented.

"Don't you jerks make them?" She asked with raised brows.

"Well, yeah. I'd be sure that your avatar is just as pretty as you are," I said clearly sucking up.

That got her laughing. "Asshole."

I just smiled. Asshole, I learned, was a term of endearment for Trudy. She leaned down her face met mine, and just as we were about to kiss we heard Jake return. And with that came the news of Grace's death, and the reality of war. It was upon us and we could do nothing to stop it. We didn't even have time to mourn Grace's passing. Trudy didn't have time to feel guilt, and I didn't have time to wonder what Grace would have said to the two of us if she had more time. No, we had to focus on the mission at hand. Which was to get the humans away from Pandora by any means necessary. I remember Trudy saying that she didn't sign up to be a martyr, but I guess, in the end that is what she became.

We didn't talk about it. Not directly, not at first. Jake sat down with the Tsu'tey, and they came up with a battle plan. Complete with Trudy and I as major players. We knew the risks, at least When we received our orders, I'm pretty sure that she knew it was dangerous this battle was going to be, and that we might not live to see the day after our final stand. We only really talked about it once though. And it was the last time I saw Trudy Chacon.

The Na'vi were preparing themselves for war. Weapons were sharpened and the Ikran were called upon. Warriors donned the best attire. And of course war paint was spread on all of the faces of the warriors. I had just returned from visiting the Na'vi in my exo-pack. I pulled off the machinery and began to search for Trudy with a bowl in my hand. While Jake and I talked to the Na'vi, Trudy kept her distance. I think part of her was nervous that the Na'vi wouldn't accept her. Or recognize that she was among those that were supposed to kill her. Either way, she never officially met a real Na'vi. It's odd that she died for a people that she never knew. If that's what she died for at all…

I found her by the camera, where I am now. She was leaning back in the chair, thinking as she did. When she saw me, her face seemed to ease, and then she pointed to the bowl simply asking what it was with a gesture.

"War paint," I answered. "It's a tradition, in the Na'vi culture…"

Trudy snorted in amusement. "Guess, they're not so different from us are they? Didn't we used to do that? You know, a long time ago."

"Yeah…it's a special ceremony though. The war paint. All of the colors represent different feelings, emotions, and of course, families. It was a way of identifying oneself in battle as well as conveying emotion." Most people would ignore me, continue on their business when I got into my anthropology thing. I knew the intricacies of cultures didn't excite everyone, and I knew Trudy wasn't exactly reading Grace's book on the side. But she listened anyway. For me I think, because she knew it mattered to me. "Before a war, the warriors, both male and female-"

She chuckled to herself, always enjoying the way I emphasized that the Na'vi had allowed female warriors for centuries. Humans were a little slower on that front…

"They spread war paint on each other. Their mates put it on their faces. Bodies. For…well, and beyond everything I just said, I think really it's like a good luck charm. That when you're out there on the battlefield, that someone is thinking about you. That someone cares for you, and wants you to return alive. The mates…they do that." The bowl in my hand suddenly seemed very heavy.

Trudy just stared at me for a moment. I couldn't read her eyes to figure out what she was thinking. Part of that problem was also because I only caught glimpses of her eyes as I was too busy inspecting the floor below me. We had never really "defined" ourselves as a couple. If we ever were a couple. Sure, we said we loved each other…but mated? That was a big step. I wasn't giving her a ring, but…honestly, I guess it was as close as we were ever going to get to that point.

I continued a little defeated by her lack of comment, "The warriors who aren't mated, get a…a family member to do it."

"Why the hell would I want my sister to do it?" Trudy replied back so quickly she mustn't have given it much thought. "She's a million miles away, and she doesn't like getting anything dirty under her fingers. Naw. I think I'll go with you. I don't know if I like the whole mate thing though…" She replied jumping from the chair and standing up with her head held up ready to get her war paint.

"Oh well, it's not a big deal you know. The mate thing. We could say it as girlfriend or boyfriend or…"

Trudy wrinkled her nose, "I just don't like the word 'mate.' Makes it sound like you smacked me on the head with a club and brought me back to my cave."

Once again, I was amazed by the way that I simply felt…awesome knowing that Trudy cared for me. And cared for me enough to go through with this crazy war paint thing. Though I never really expressed my amazement aloud, I did chuckle at her mating definition. "Um. Yeah, I think it was the other way around with us though. You jumped me and brought me back to the bunker. Yep."

She stuck her tongue out at me, although her fingers tugged at my belt loops on my pants affectionately. "Fucking bastard."

"Eh," I shrugged trying hard not to let a smile take over my face, "but you love me."

"Damn it all…I do. So you gonna stand there all day, or are you gonna paint me?" She held out her arms as if I was going to pat her down for weapons.

"Just your face," I laughed. Two blue streaks, light blue, covered Trudy's eyes and her cheeks. The blue represented inner strength, it seemed to be the perfect fit for Trudy. Then I passed her a headband from the Na'vi, which she placed over her hair. Stepping away to see my work, I smiled. Trudy was officially a Na'vi warrior. "You look beautiful. Even in war paint."

A slight blush came to her face. "I don't have any paint for you. Plus you're gonna be blue and tall so this won't work…what am I going to do for you?"

I waved my hand. "I'll be fine. Without war paint."

"You said it's good luck though."

"I don't need luck."

Trudy mused on this quietly for a moment before reaching around her neck and pulling off her dog tags. She draped them around my shoulders. "There. Luck. Now I'll be with you too…and if you see a whole army coming at you and you hear a little voice say run the hell away, you'll know it's me talking to you through the tags."

I chuckled quietly, and when the silence drifted between us, Trudy stepped closer to me. I hunched over slightly so our foreheads met.

"You get yourself killed and you know I'm never gonna forgive your ass," Trudy said quietly. Looking back I understand her concern. I barely knew how to fire a gun, nonetheless, lead a charge. She had a right to be worried about me.

"I know. I'll try hard I promise. What about you?" I asked looking down into her brown eyes. While I wasn't a good fighter, Trudy was taking on Quatrich with her Samson. The only Samson on our side. She would be a sitting duck out there and an easy target. I acknowledged that even back then. And I wanted to keep her safe as well. War paint could only get you so far. "You going to be careful?"

Trudy smiled a smile that I will never forget til the day I die. Like she knew what was coming, and she accepted it completely. Like she was at peace, and knew where she was going was a whole hell of a lot nicer than war torn Pandora. "Don't worry about me. I can take it. Anyway, I got my paint. They ain't gonna fuck with me. No one does."

"They'd be idiots to."

"Damn straight." There was a call from outside. It was time. I would move to the Plains, and Trudy would get her baby ready. I've played the moment in my head over and over again. What I should have said. What I should have done. What I needed to say to make her forget it all. To make her shift just a little faster. To ignore Quatrich, though I knew she would go right for him…anything to keep her from ending up where she did. Anything to keep her alive.

But what could I say?

After one last look from her, she turned around towards the door. I called after her, "See you back here…when it's all over."

Glancing around her shoulder, she echoed simply with a nod, "When it's all over." Then she turned and walked away.

* * *

Norm sat back from the chair and rubbed his face with his hand. He held it there for some time. The only sounds on the recorder were that of the hum of the fans pumping oxygen into the bunker, and Norm's quiet weeping.


End file.
